Sleep (band)

Sleep evolved in the early 1990s from the band Asbestosdeath, which was established by vocalist/bassist Al Cisneros, drummer Chris Hakius, and guitarist Tom Choi. Asbestosdeath expanded to a quartet with the introduction of Matt Pike on guitar, and recorded two singles - "Dejection" for Profane Existence and the self-released "Unclean". Choi departed, and later founded Operator Generator, It Is I, Noothgrush, and Las Vegas' Black Jetts. Asbestosdeath recruited Justin Marler as replacement and the band adopted the new name, Sleep.

Their debut album Volume One was released in 1991. Frequently compared to bands like Saint Vitus, Sleep soon gained a devoted fanbase within the developing doom metal scene. Marler quit the band soon after to take up life as a monk, leaving the band as a power trio for the recording of their Volume Two EP, which was released officially by Off the Disk Records in 1991.

The band's next album was sent to the independent label Earache as a demo. Recorded at Razors Edge studios in San Francisco, with Billy Anderson as engineer, the tape showcased Sleep's love of all things retro, from the blatant Black Sabbath/Blue Cheer influences, to their fixation with 1970's-style tube amplification.[3] The label immediately signed the band and released the tape exactly as it was received.

Sleep's Holy Mountain (1992) is widely considered the seminal album in the evolution of stoner metal.[3] The album's release was followed by a potentially lucrative offer from London Records, and Sleep signed with them. Around this time, Earache released its first Black Sabbath tribute album, and Sleep contributed a cover of "Snowblind".[3]

Under their new contract, Sleep began work on its third album, Dopesmoker, in 1995.[3] Much to the dismay of executives at London Records, Dopesmoker was a single song, over an hour long. London Records declared the album unmarketable and refused to release it. The label had it remixed and cut up into sections by David Sardy, which led to a deadlock due to the band being unhappy with the result. Frustrated and generally unhappy with the situation, the members of Sleep decided to disband.

In 1998, Sleep released Jerusalem as an "official bootleg". One year later, Jerusalem was given an official legitimate release by The Music Cartel in the US and Rise Above Records in Europe.

Finally, in 2003 the original version of Dopesmoker was officially released by Tee Pee Records. It is generally considered the definitive version of the album. An excerpted version can be heard on Jim Jarmusch's Broken Flowers original soundtrack.

Matt Pike is also the frontman of the band High on Fire.

Cisneros and Hakius later formed the doom metal band Om while Pike formed sludge metal band High on Fire.

In 2007 a CD compilation of both 7-inch releases of the pre-Sleep band Asbestosdeath was released on Southern Lord Records.

In May 2009, Sleep reformed to perform two exclusive reunion sets in Britain as part of the All Tomorrow's Parties music festival. During these shows, the band performed an unheard song that had been written during the Dopesmoker recording sessions, titled "Antarcticans Thawed," for the first time.[4]

After the band's initial reunion performance, original drummer Chris Hakius decided to retire from music to raise a family, and he was replaced on drums by Jason Roeder of experimental metal band Neurosis.[5] The reconfigured lineup played the ATP New York 2010 music festival in Monticello, New York, where it performed Holy Mountain in its entirety. The band followed up this performance with a tour of the rest of the United States, playing headlining dates and festivals, through September.

From 2010 onward, Sleep performed similar sporadic festival and touring engagements when the members' otherwise busy touring schedules permitted. In late 2012, in conjunction with an upcoming appearance at Maryland Deathfest, the band stated that it considers Sleep to be a "full, reunited band."[6] In 2014, Al Cisneros announced in an interview that the band was working on a new record.[7] On July 21, 2014, a new song titled "The Clarity" was released via Adult Swim Singles.[8]

In November 2017 the band members posted a message in Morse code stating that they had almost finished recording material for a new album.[9][10] On April 19, 2018, the band announced The Sciences, their first album in nearly 20 years, to be released the next day on Third Man Records.[11] The release of The Sciences was a surprise, being released the day after it was announced, and created a lot of excitement within their fanbase. The album's release date, April 20, 2018, was also Record Store Day weekend. Third Man Records released a limited edition split-colored vinyl with an alternate cover to be sold at a limited number of record stores in the US on the release date.[12] The album was met with critical acclaim. Pitchfork wrote in their review, "[The Sciences] makes everything that was originally great about Sleep even better."[13] Spin declared that the record gives "stoner-metal acolytes a bonafide miracle."[14]

On May 23, 2018, Sleep released a new song titled "Leagues Beneath" through Adult Swim Singles and Third Man Records.

On November 11, 2019, the band announced an indefinite hiatus.

In early 2022, the band announced a return to live shows.

Note: The band's album Dopesmoker (2003) was originally released as Jerusalem in 1999 by The Music Cartel. This release was unauthorized by the band who discredit the validity of its quality and release.[20]

• Volume One (1991) Tupelo Recording Company
• Sleep's Holy Mountain (1992) Earache Records
• Jerusalem and Dopesmoker (1999) The Music Cartel; (2003) Tee Pee Records; (2012) Southern Lord Records; (2022) Third Man Records
• The Sciences (2018) Third Man Records

• Volume Two (1992) Off the Disk Records
• Iommic Life (2021) Third Man Records
  • Released on 4/20/21, contains the remixed version of the single "The Clarity" and the single "Leagues Beneath."

• "Snowblind" (Black Sabbath cover) on Masters of Misery (1992) Earache Records
• "Dopesmoker (abridged version)" on Music from Broken Flowers (2005) Decca Records
• "The Clarity" on Adult Swim Singles Program 2014 (2014) Williams Street Records
• "Leagues Beneath" on Adult Swim Singles Program 2017 (2018) Williams Street Records/Third Man Records

• Dragonaut (1993) Earache Records